Gallacher eclipses McIlroy and Wozniacki in Dubai after stunning run hailed as 'finest nine holes in European Tour history'

Stephen Gallacher spoke in awed tones after watching Rory McIlroy shoot 63 on day one of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

On Saturday, the quiet Scot had everyone raving about his own golf after coming up with as spectacular a back nine as you will ever witness to post a 63 of his own.

Some, indeed, were proclaiming it the finest nine holes in European Tour history and perhaps only the context of it being on the final day with a title on the line was missing.

On a roll: Stephen Gallacher posted a flawless back nine to hit the top of the leaderboard

Otherwise, it is simply hard to see how it could be bettered. When he’d finished his thrilling two hour dismantling of the Emirates homeward stretch, his card showed one eagle, seven birdies, and a solitary par.

In winning this title last year, Gallacher had holed five full shots during his four rounds but this was even more remarkable. He had come home in 28 shots against a par of 37.

Practically every player in the field who goes in for tweeting had reached for this form of social media to voice not only their acclaim but a little astonishment as well.

Champion: Gallacher won this valuable prize 12 months ago

McIlroy, for one, could hardly believe his ears when told of Gallacher’s run, which had begun with a birdie at the 9th to make him ten under for his last ten holes.

‘The wind is tricky and the greens are getting harder so that’s just a phenomenal stretch of golf,’ he said.

Yet who could have predicted such an outcome when Gallacher hit horrible putts at the 7th and 8th to go one over par for his round? If the 39 year old has a weakness it is on the greens.

As he said later: 'I was thinking:'Oh no, here we go again.'

That all changed in quite magnificent fashion, as a tap-in birdie at the 9th set the tone for an inward half that has given him every chance of celebrating this 25th edition by becoming the first man to mount a successful defence.

Off the pace: Tiger Woods is 11 shots off the lead in Dubai

‘It just shows what can happen if you stay patient and focused because the round was going nowhere over the front nine,’ said Gallacher, the nephew of former Ryder Cup captain Bernard. ‘It’s amazing what this game throws up.’

Two hours from home, Gallacher was struggling to stay in the top 20. After sinking his fifth putt of 15ft or more at the par five 18th , he had established a three stroke lead.

McIlroy nudged a little closer with a birdie at the 17th but the long 18th rather summed up his day, as two great shots went unrewarded when his ball finished in a horrible spot in the rough at the back of the green.

The Northern Irishman had to settle for a 69, and a second prosaic round to follow up his wondrous effort on Thursday.

Woods tees off during his third round at the Emirates Golf Club

‘I didn’t drive the ball particularly well, and so I am going to have to work on that a little before the final round,’ he said.

‘But it should be a great final day. Obviously, I will have to hope Stephen doesn’t keep doing what he did today!’

This should be a duel to savour, as two of the great ballstrikers in the modern game go head to head.

Yet both can have ordinary days with the putter, which will give succour to two of the game’s leading young talents, American Brooks Koepka and Thorbjorn Oleson from Denmark, who will begin four in arrears.

In the hunt: Rory McIlroy is only two shots off the lead

Tiger Woods (R) and caddie Joe LaCava deep in conversation on the Emirates Club course

McIlroy might have been unhappy with his driving but he did pull one out of the top drawer at the par four 17th.

This is the hole offering a $2.5 million prize for a hole in one and just for a moment McIlroy was in with a shout as the ball pitched on the green and came within a couple of feet or so of hitting the pin.

‘When I saw the pitchmark I could understand why there was a little excitement,’ he said.

Never mind. McIlroy, like everyone else in the field, can have another bash on Sunday.

One player who will not be winning the first prize is the man who teed it up with Gallacher and McIlroy during the first two rounds but has failed totally to live with the pace they have set - Tiger Woods.